The Doom of Terethond
by Handom Robbit
Summary: Deep under the Shire lies a forgotten weapon of ultimate power. Bilbo finds it, and Gandalf knows more than he lets on...
1. Prologue

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The Doom of Terethond  
  
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by Handom Robbit  
  
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A/n: this is my first fic, so please be gentle with reviews! I don't even pretend to own any of Tolkien's work, but Terethond is mine so please don't copy it/him. I'm only 14 so suing me will be no good. This is written in the classic Tolkien style, as near as possible.  
  
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Prologue: The labour of Terethond.  
  
Deep in the earth, far from light or laughter, dwelt Terethond. Just because he dwelt away from the sunlight, does not mean he hated it. Rather, he loved it, and all things that grow under it, and all birds of the air, beasts of the ground, and especially the Elves (this was before the coming of Men, when Arda was still young).  
  
He loved them so much that he forsook the sunlight, and went deep underground to forge the device which was to be his doom. Deep under the flowers he laboured long and hard, and through a series of lenses he captured the light of Laurelin and Telperion, trapping it in crystals he shaped nine swords of the purest diamond. Eight of them were waist-high to a man, that is, about three feet tall. In four of these he meshed the light of Telperion, and in four the light of Laurelin. But the greatest of the swords was not wrought of diamond. It was wrought of topaz and jet, and seemed to form a void, as it were, in the very fabric of the air. Over this sword he spoke many words of Power, in the true language of things spoken by Ilúvatar.  
  
Also Terethond forged nine Rings of adamant, for controlling the awesome power of the Nandamanë. These rings he named the Lemenithë, and in each of them was the power to bestow upon its wielder the ability to read the thoughts of lesser folk. Together the Lemenithë and the Nandamanë could combat the might of Melkor, Sauron and his Ruling Ring. Terethond went then to the centre of Middle-Earth, to the part which, unbeknownst to him, was to become the Shire. He built a great temple-like building, Farnamal, though it honoured no god or godess. This place was the seat of the Handamá-Méndogoth - the Double-Edged Sword. Indeed, all the Nandamanë had two edges, but the name Handamá-Méndogoth was meant in a more metaphorical sense. The secret of the power of the Handamá-Méndogoth was this: spaced around the edge of the main room were eight "slots", with one in the centre. In the slots around the edge fitted the eight diamond Swords of the Nandamanë, and the jet Sword fitted in the middle. If nine people of pure heart and mind stood in prescribed places in the heart of Farnamal, marked by circles of Runes of Power, and each was wearing one of the Lemenithë, then if all nine bent their will upon the destruction, or creation, of a thing, then a great lightning would shine out of the hilt of the jet Sword, up through a great glass sphere set high in the roof, and the magic of the lightning was that it would cause this thing to come to pass, but only if the wills of all the nine were bent upon it. For if just one of the wielders turned his or her thoughts to other things, then the Handamá-Méndogoth would wreak vast amounts of destruction.   
  
Terethond called together eight of the Maiar in order to form a peaceful land, where small childlike folk lived and worked in peace. But even as the Maiar were near to completion of their immense task Terethond wondered whether their fair land would eventually come under strife, and at that moment the magic of the lightning was corrupted, and flashing far far away to the north, it raised mountains, wasted all the land and created the fortress known later as Thangorodrim. Flashing back to Farnamal, it smote down Terethond in a blaze of thunder, and his like have never walked upon Middle-Earth again.  
  
The Valar heard of this, that Terethond had created a land of the Holbytlan, or hobbits as they later became known. But grieved they were to find that he had created a fortress of evil, which they knew Melkor inhabited (This was before Fëanor and the renaming of Melkor to Morgoth). A great session of the Ring of Doom was called, and so great was the strife that even Ulmo attended. Eventually it was decided that Farnamal was to be covered by a great hill, and the pleasant land of the Holbytlan would remain in innocence of the mighty power that lay under their feet.   
The Nandamanë were spread throughout Middle-Earth, each going to a separate place along with the corresponding Lemenith, but the marking was this: they were buried under hills which had constructions of some sort above it. The Jet Sword was placed, along with the most potent of the Lemenithë, under what became known as Tol Brandir, where no mortal may set foot. The work of this burying was given to Aulë the Smith, and he wrought places deep under the hills set about with many enchantments, so that Men whose hearts were corrupted by greed could never come to the place of burial. Four of the Diamond Swords, along with their proper Lemenithë were buried under Amon Sûl, and four and four under Amon Hen.   
  
Then Aulë raised a hill over Farnamal, and set a town around it which became known as Holby-Tón, or Hobbiton. Thus ended the greatest weapon of Good or Evil, the Handamá-Méndogoth, the Double-Edged Sword. But it dwelt ever in the thought of the Valar, and knowledge of it was passed to Mithrandir, mightiest of the Istari. The Double-Edged Sword was cunning, and it was nearly always on Gandalf's mind. Thus ut came to be unearthed, and Farnamal under Bag End was reopened once more.  
  
  
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A/n: This is just the prologue, chapter one up soon, starring Frodo, Bilbo, Samwise, Meriadoc and Peregrin, along with Gandalf and the rest of the Company. The main climax is in... well, I'm not going to tell you, you can read and find out!  
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	2. The Finding of Farnamal

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by Handom Robbit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/n: Chapter One up! Please review my work, tell me if it's good/bad/abysmal etc. REASONED criticisms of my Elvish etc. are accepted (corrections gratefully received!) Pure flaming will result in a report bring filed, so please don't just denounce my work as crap. Once again, I don't own Bilbo or any of the other characters except the ones I create. I do, however own all the storyline created by me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter One: The finding of Farnamal  
  
Bilbo Baggins of Bag End was no ordinary hobbit. Indeed, hobbits are no ordinary folk. Soft as butter they seem, but in the pinch they defend bitterly what they love (the Shire, food, ale and pipe-weed). They are not noted for being adventurous, but Bilbo went out to the Lonely Mountain and returned with a pile of gold (see The Hobbit). This made him more "news from Bree" as the saying goes, not "sure as Shire-talk". But he minded not that people thought he was strange, for he had his fireside, his food (very important to any hobbit, large or small), his gardener Samwise Gamgee, and of course his nephew Frodo Baggins, his heir. One bright July afternoon, Bilbo and Frodo were taking cool draughts of ale from the barrels in the cellar, when all of a sudden the barrels rolled to one side, and one struck the dark panelling on the walls of the cellar, and Frodo noticed that there was a raising in the earth, almost like an arch. Bilbo, of course, only had eyes for his beloved ale. "Bilbo, come and see what I found!" "What is Frodo lad?" "it sort of looks as though there is an arch here, I wonder if it's a tunnel?" "Could be, my boy, could be." "If it is, this is the sort of thing Gandalf would be interested in." "Yes, he said he would come to tea on Wednesday" "We'll ask him about it then, but for now, let's have some more of this ale!"  
  
By Wednesday the hobbits had almost forgotten about the mysterious arch in their cellar, until there was a rapping at the door. It sounded like it came from a staff. "Gandalf, do come in, but next time please refrain from knocking holes in my beautiful green door!" "So sorry Bilbo, but I had need of haste. You mentioned that you found an arch in your cellar?" "Oh my goodness yes, I had forgotten all about it!" "Well lead the way old friend."  
  
Gandalf had his suspicions about this arch in Bilbo's cellar, for he knew all about Farnamal and the Handamá-Méndogoth. For Gandalf had been one of the eight Maiar summoned to Farnamal for the creating of the Shire (and inadvertently Thangorodrim). The guilt, irrational though it was, that he had helped to create the stronghold of Melkor/Morgoth had weighed heavily on him through the long years. He knew that Farnamal was buried under Holby- Tón, but he had never suspected it was buried right under Bag End.  
  
Gandalf joined the two hobbits in the cellar, and just as he had suspected, this was the hidden door to Farnamal, which only one who knew the secret Spell of Passing could open.  
  
"My dear hobbits, how did you find this? It has remained hidden since the time when Telperion and Laurelin the Great Trees were in bloom!" "Goodness! As long as that? It's amazing we didn't discover it before!" "But anyway, this discovery could not have come at a more helpful time. I feel Gondor is to be besieged... But no, I will not tell you the entire story of what lies behind this arch, because that would take all day and all night. But I can open this arch, if I have a few minutes to remember the Spell of Passing." "Well then Gandalf, a few minutes you shall have, and ale and cakes as well, if you are hungry and thirsty." "That I am, my dear Bilbo, for I have journeyed many leagues to be here, for I feel that the finding of this arch will prove to make all the difference in a war that is being fought far beyond the knowledge of all the Shire, excepting perhaps you and Frodo. By the way, how much have you told Frodo of your adventures with Smaug?"  
  
Then Frodo piped up (being only a young hobbit, yet already enjoying the pleasures of Bilbo's cellars) "Please sir, Mr.Gandalf sir, my dear uncle Bilbo has told me all about it, even his finding of the Ring, and Gollum. Brrr! How I hated that part!" "Hmm, that may turn out to be to the good, or possibly not. Now I will attempt the Spell of Passing. It would be wise of you two to stay back, near the door." Then Gandalf spoke strange words in a tongue of which Bilbo could understand a little, and Frodo none at all, Quenya, the language of the High Elves of the Noldor.  
  
Nounde amancarath nofallë meneos Ememsil amdanal!  
  
And lo! The arch crumbled into dust, and a great wind, sweet like the smell of new-mown grass, yet carrying behind it a stench of rottenness, as though something fair but marred by evil waited behind the door, swept through the room, and none who felt it were left unchanged. Then they all knew of the awesome power of this place when it was in it's full glory, and the hobbits had a vision of lightning spearing out of a great glass dome, creating a peaceful land all around it. "This place created the Shire!" gasped Bilbo. "Yes, and if we are to release it's full power, we must cross the threshold before the wind stops." "Quickly then! Come on Frodo, we're going on an adventure!" "Like the one you had, uncle Bilbo?" "Not as long, maybe, but equally exciting!"  
  
Gandalf, followed by the hobbits, strode across the threshold of the arch. Immediately the wind stopped, and replacing it was an uncanny sense of waiting, as if the entire place was straining to release its power like a large hound on a thin but strong leash. "This is Farnamal, rightful home of the Handamá-Méndogoth, the Double-Edged Sword. This place, or rather it's creator, Terethond, created the Shire, yet at the last minute his thought was corrupted, and the magic created the realm of Thangorodrim, then it curled in on itself and destroyed him." "Then why is this place covered in a hill? And why was it sealed up with that Spell of Passing?" "The Valar held a great council, and decided that Farnamal was to powerful for that age of the world, yet they foresaw a time when it would be needed. So they entrusted to me the especial care of the Shire, and especially all who dwelt near Farnamal. But come, let us proceed into Farnamal, and see what has become of it over the ages."  
  
The passage went on for about thirty fathoms, then suddenly it opened out into a great hall, and such was the preserving magic of the Valar, the torches around the walls were still lit.  
  
"What are all those eight slots in a ring, and one in the centre for?" asked Frodo. "Those, little Frodo, are where the nine Nandamanë fit, they are the greatest part of the power of this place. Eight of them are made of diamond, and one of the purest jet. The jet Sword is the most powerful, and in it is the power of invulnerability in battle. With them go the Lemenithë, the nine Rings of Adamant. The power of the Swords alone, is that whoever holds the Jet Sword can command the eight other Swords wherever he wills, if he is strong of mind. The Lemenithë will link in thought all who wear them, and so it is possible for the Handamá-Méndogoth to work, for to create good, all nine must be linked in thought. "The glass sphere in the roof must be uncovered, for it is through that which all the power flows. Bilbo, can you have some stout lads up on the top of the hill tomorrow?" "That is easily done, Gandalf. Hobbit-lads will do anything if you pay them!"  
  
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	3. The beginning of the Quest

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The Doom of Terethond  
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by Handom Robbit  
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A/n: this is my first fic, so please be gentle with reviews! I don't even pretend to own any of Tolkien's work, but Terethond is mine so please don't copy it/him. I'm only 14 so suing me will be no good. This is written in the classic Tolkien style, as near as possible.  
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Chapter Two: The beginning of the Quest  
  
Later, in Bilbo's parlour, Gandalf related to the hobbits all of the tale of Terethond, the Handamá-Méndogoth, and the creation of the Shire (see Prologue).   
"I must be off fairly soon, my dear hobbits, to sort out some business with Elrond, but I will be back within two months. By then, it would be good if the Dome of Farnamal were uncovered, but please, please, do not spread the news around the Shire. Tell as few as possible!"  
"Of course Gandalf, we will only tell those folk we hire to uncover it, and swear them to secrecy."   
"Good! This is a discovery that could change the face of Middle-Earth altogether! I must summon a council of the Wise as soon as possible."  
  
As the weeks went by, Bilbo and Frodo brought in stout hobbit-lads, armed with picks and spades, and under the guidance of Bilbo, they began to excavate the top of the hill which Bag End was built into. One day, about two weeks into the work, Fredegar Bolger (not Fatty then!) shouted  
"Come quick Mr.Bilbo! I've found it!"  
The hobbits crowded round, and it was only by the pushing and shoving of Frodo that Bilbo managed to get to the front.  
"Good lad Freddy! Now we must be extra careful not to damage it. Away with the picks! Spades and trowels only from now on!"  
But they had no need to worry, because the Dome of Farnamal could withstand being dropped into Orodruin, and mortal picks and spades had no more effect on the smooth surface than a grain of sand would on a solid brick wall. The work went on, more carefully now, and after another five days of excavation Frodo shouted one day   
"Come quick uncle! Here's the edge!"  
And indeed it was. The edge was the equator of the great globe of glass, or diamond or some otherworldly material (in fact it was glass, but with a great many Spells of Protection woven into the making, so it became harder than diamond and adamant). The edge, where it disappeared into the earth, was carved with a great many letters, in some ancient and forgotten mode of Elvish, spelling out words which none there could understand.  
"I dare say Gandalf could read this, but to me it is incomprehensible," marvelled Bilbo. "I wonder who carved these runes, and what ancient Spells they read?"  
Then the mood was broken by Mrs.Cotton coming round with great jugs of ale, and for a while all the hobbits made merry on the grass.  
But above them on the hill the great Dome of Farnamal slumbered restlessly, as if remembering the awesome power that had flowed through it and out into the world, changing all in its path. After their hearty lunch (as it always was with hobbits), they swiftly uncovered the rest of the Dome. And lo! As the sunset struck the dome, it was bent and reflected down onto the middle slot for the Jet Sword. And it seemed to all that looked on it that there was a sensation of a great power awakening, the ultimate weapon of Good or Evil, but it was in itself neither. It was just a tool, like the forge of the blacksmith or the barrow of the gardener. But it was a tool that gave its operator power from inside. None there were unaffected, and they wished that they could be the wielder of that tool, and envisioned all the great things they would accomplish, if only the Handamá-Méndogoth were fully at its height of power.   
  
All this time Gandalf was riding as swiftly as may be to Imladris, to hold counsel with Elrond about what might be done with this awesome power. It was plain that if they summoned seven others of the White Council, they could at last destroy the Enemy, and break down Barad-Dûr.   
"I counsel you not to tell Saruman of this, for I fear he has looked into the Palantír too often, and has become corrupted by the enemy." Thus said Gandalf, and because of all that Elrond owed him, he listened to his advice, even though supposedly Saruman was the greatest of the Istari.   
Then Gandalf told Elrond of the history of Farnamal, and the location of the Nandamanë and the Lemenithë. At this Elrond was stunned, that such a weapon could exist without the enemy discovering it.  
"Nay," said Gandalf, "Sauron does not know it exists, great though his knowledge is. Farnamal has remained hidden throughout the time of Morgoth, through the Dark Years, right until it was discovered by the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. I myself had nearly forgotten about it, so long ago was it buried. It seems to me that we should use this weapon against Sauron. So long as the nine wielders are pure of heart and mind, this weapon will destroy Mordor, the One Ring, and all of the servants of Sauron in one swoop. Sauron will be left without a realm, without physical form or any Ring. Then we can use the Handamá-Méndogoth to banish him forever to the Halls of Mandos, there to dwell in exile for all eternity. We cannot destroy him altogether, we can only prevent his escape from the Timeless Halls of Mandos."  
"That is an excellent idea, my friend, but how are we to use this weapon? We need a Company to depart for Tol Brandir, with picks and shovels and digging equipment."  
"There you are wrong my friend, all we need is a company of Nine. I suggest representatives of all the Free Races. Four hobbits, which I will choose. There dwells in the North the heir to the throne of Gondor, one of the Dúnedain, Aragorn son of Arathorn. In Mirkwood there is the Silvan prince Legolas, and in the Lonely Mountain dwells Gimli son of Glóin. I say that these Nine should depart, along with me, for Tol Brandir. But, we will need a Great Ring for the unearthing of these treasures. There we come to the root of my thought: whose Ring can be spared? Not the Ring of Galadriel, for without it Lórien would fade. Círdan cannot spare his, because it alone keeps the Havens from the grasp of the Enemy. And you, Elrond, need your ring to uphold Rivendell."  
"You underestimate the tenacity of Imladris, Gandalf. We will stand for a while without Vilya, though it will be hard. If your quest should succeed, we will be rid of the evil of Sauron until the end of Arda. And if it fails..."  
"If it fails, then Rivendell will fall, unless I can return the Ring to you in time. And that would be a sore blow against the forces of good.  
"I bid you send word to Legolas and Gimli, and summon them hither. I will return here in two months, along with the four Hobbits I have chosen."  
"Very well then. Farewell Gandalf, and return with the Holbytlan you speak of."  
  
Gandalf then tarried long in Bree, with the excellent hospitality of Barliman Butterbur. after a month he returned to the Shire to see what work had been done on the uncovering of Farnamal.  
he hoped that it had been all uncovered, but he knew a lot about the long lunch-breaks of hobbits, and the probability that they would soon turn into dinner-breaks, so he was not optimistic about the progress.   
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A/n: Well, that was chapter 2, I go away tomorrow so chapter 3 won't be up for 2 weeks at least. But please review, all comments accepted!  
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	4. The Dome uncovered

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- The Doom of Terethond -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-  
  
By Handom Robbit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/n: this is my first fic, so please be gentle with reviews! I don't even pretend to own any of Tolkien's work, but Terethond is mine so please don't copy it/him. I'm only 14 so suing me will be no good. This is written in the classic Tolkien style, as near as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Four: The Dome uncovered.  
  
The third morning after the edge of the Dome had been uncovered the hobbits were hard at work, backs bent under the heat of the Sun. Indeed, some - to the shock (and delight) of the hobbit- lasses and hobbit-wives - forsook their "weskits" and jerkins, and worked with bare chests. Around noon, Meriadoc Brandybuck (known affectionately as Merry) called from where he was working with his spade "Frodo! Mr. Bilbo! I found the other edge!" "Capital, Merry lad! Good work!" Now the full extent of the Dome was revealed. From the edge unearthed three days earlier to the newly discovered edge, the Dome measured, if you laid them in a line, about the length of five Men of the race of Númenor. By now the top of the hill was become a great work of excavation, for the Dome was quite possibly the single most valuable thing in or under the Shire (although only Aulë knows what lies deep deep under the earth he loves so well). The hobbits then paused in their labours for a hearty lunch (hearty even by the standards of Hobbits). But underneath their feet all was not still. For the gradual unearthing of the Dome was slowly but surely waking the awesome power inside Farnamal. The spirit of Terethond, unable to find refuge in the halls of Mandos, when he was bereft of his physical form his spirit surged into the very heartstones of Farnamal, the creation which had betrayed him. Through the long ages after the covering of Farnamal he slumbered, but now he was waking, and the great love he held for his creation the Shire pervaded all through the hill, yet that love was tainted with his adamantine desire for revenge on Morgoth. As he slowly awoke, he perceived that Morgoth no longer tainted the hills and fields of Arda, so his wrath bent itself upon destroying any remnants of the servants of Morgoth, and he cast his thought about, and chanced upon Sauron of Barad-Dûr. He decided to put aside his wroth until the Handamá-Méndogoth were brought to Farnamal, and so pervaded his great love throughout the Shire. The hobbits felt it, even though they knew not what it was, they felt that something great yet benevolent dwelt beneath their feet, and they were right.  
  
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The horse's hooves were, for now, spared the ordeal of a gallop, though Gandalf knew that time was of the essence, for he loved this horse, and indeed all living creatures that walked and breathed freely on the surface of Arda, save the servants of the Enemy. As he rode through the forest from Imladris, he espied the three stone trolls sitting around their long-gone campfire, and he laughed aloud, remembering the adventures of Bilbo and how he had confused the stupid trolls. His mirth did not last long, however, for he had great and weighty matters to consider, not least of them which particular four hobbits to fetch to Rivendell. Frodo was by now out of his "tweens", and Gandalf thought to bring him, certainly, and three of his closest friends of around the same age. He knew that the Enemy would sooner or later learn of the existence of Farnamal, and he entertained the possibility that He might seek to possess it, realising that there lay the power either to either set him on the throne of the world, or to destroy him utterly and banish him to the Timeless Void. As Gandalf rode on toward the Shire, the hobbits excavated the Dome, and the spirit of Terethond slept uneasily.  
  
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Two months later, on the eve of Frodo and Bilbo's joint birthday party even, Gandalf rode into Hobbiton with head bowed in thought. He had tarried long with the Beornings, and taught them much craft of wood, and in return for this craft, they had presented him with four small ash walking-staves, with Spells of Fortune and Protection woven about them, so that the traveller bearing one of these would never come to any grievous harm, though he might be injured slightly, but never mortally. Coming to Bag End, Gandalf was surprised at the extent of the excavation, but not totally, for he knew of the industry of hobbits when given some goal to achieve. The Dome was by now totally uncovered, and the clear glass shone in the noonday sun. Then he sensed a power slumbering inside the hill, and perceived it to be benevolent toward the Shire, though he knew not what the spirit intended. Passing into Bilbo's parlour unnanounced, he found five hobbits asleep, obviously just having eaten a very good meal. He sang softly a song of awakening, and it was in the true language of things and ran thus:  
  
Luméndae! Namanda faulenós, i'fanda lomën austrena mathan-têré rethmanor, Namanda faulenós, Luméndae!  
  
and upon the last Luméndae! the hobbits woke as if from a long and peaceful dream. "Ah! That was a good rest" said Bilbo. "My goodness! Gandalf! You are back from your wanderings?" "Yes, Bilbo, I am. And now, you four young hobbits, stay seated! for I have a tale to tell, and a Quest to venture, if you dare after hearing the tale."  
  
  
  
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